Zoe

I sat at the airport, staring at the two tickets in my hands. I was alone, even though this vacation was meant for couples. I had won the trip just two days before Ryan and I broke up.

Now, here I was, with no idea why I had even come. The whole point of the trip was to go with someone special, and I no longer had that someone. I sighed deeply, feeling lost and out of place.

All around me, people were laughing and talking with their companions, while I was stuck in this strange situation. Why did I show up? What was I thinking? Nothing made sense, and I had no idea what to do next.

“You look too sad for someone about to go on vacation,” said a man sitting next to me. He seemed around my age.

“And you don’t look very happy either,” I replied, trying not to make eye contact. I didn’t feel like talking, especially to a stranger.

“I was supposed to fly for a job interview, but they hired someone else. I lost my last chance at the job,” he said, sounding defeated.

“Oh, that’s tough. I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. I paused for a moment, then an idea hit me. “Hey, would you like to come with me?”

“With you?” he asked, looking surprised.

“Yeah. I won this vacation for two, but it’s for couples. At the end, there’s a cash prize,” I explained.

“A cash prize? This isn’t a reality show or something, is it?”

“No, no, it’s not. Just a regular trip, but you have to go as a couple.”

He looked at me, confused. “If you’re single, why did you enter?”

“I wasn’t single when I entered. I had a boyfriend, but we broke up,” I said, shrugging. “So, what do you think? You could be my fake boyfriend for the week.”

He blinked a few times, then grinned. “Why not? A free vacation sounds pretty good right about now.”

I smiled, relieved. But there was still something I hadn’t told him, and I wasn’t sure how he’d react when he found out. For now, though, we just needed to get there.

Tom

Maybe I had a bit of luck left after all. Five minutes ago, I was just a broke guy, sitting at the airport, feeling hopeless. Now, I was about to fly on vacation with a beautiful woman, and there was even a chance to win some cash.

I couldn’t believe how quickly things had changed. As I thought about it more, a strange idea crossed my mind. Wait… did I just agree to some kind of escort deal? My heart skipped a beat.

“I’m Zoe, by the way,” she said, extending her hand with a small smile.

“Tom,” I replied, shaking her hand. I paused for a moment, then asked, “I’ve got to ask… I didn’t just agree to be an escort, right?”

Zoe’s eyes widened. “What? No! Of course not. Do I look like someone who does that?” She looked a little flustered.

“Not really,” I said, then added without thinking, “But you are pretty hot.” I noticed her face turn red.

Before things could get more awkward, the boarding announcement came, and we got on the plane. Once we were in our seats, Zoe pulled out a book and started reading right away.

“Don’t we need to know more about each other?” I asked after a while. “We’re supposed to act like a couple, remember?”

Zoe looked over at me, then shrugged. “We’ll have time for that,” she said.

The flight wasn’t long, and soon we landed. As we stepped outside, a car picked us up and took us straight to the hotel. When we got there, I couldn’t believe what I saw—cameras and people everywhere.

“You said this wasn’t a reality show?!” I asked, feeling like I’d been tricked.

“It’s not,” Zoe said calmly. “It’s for a YouTube channel.”

“What? So, we’re being filmed?”

“Yeah, but relax. We just have to do a few tasks, then we can enjoy the vacation.”

“I didn’t agree to this!” I protested.

“Well, you’re here now,” Zoe said with a smile. “Besides, if we win, we get the money.”

“And if we don’t?” I asked.

“At least you’ll have a free vacation,” she said, walking into the hotel.

Zoe

Cheating the system was easier than I thought. Tom and I had exchanged all the important details about our lives, so when the questions came, we had no trouble answering them like a real couple.

We even nailed the competitions, working as a pretty good team. But with each lie, a knot tightened in my stomach. I had never lied so much before, and it was starting to weigh on me.

The guilt crept in, but I pushed it aside. We were doing well, and that was what mattered—until the kayak race.

When I saw the kayaks, panic set in. “I can’t do this,” I whispered to Tom. “I can’t swim.”

Tom’s face tightened, and I could tell this wasn’t going to end well.

“I’m not getting in that kayak!” I shouted, stepping back.

“Yes, you are!” Tom yelled, his voice louder than I’d ever heard.

“No way! We’ll tip over and drown!” I protested, feeling the fear rise inside me.

“Zoe, you are getting in that kayak right now!” Tom snapped. “I need this money. If you don’t get in, I’ll tie you to it!” His face was tense, and I could see the desperation in his eyes.

I froze. I had never seen him so angry, and it scared me. I hadn’t expected this side of him.

Tom reached out his hand, and reluctantly, I took it and climbed into the kayak. My heart pounded, but there was no turning back now. Surprisingly, Tom knew exactly what he was doing with the paddle.

We started moving fast, cutting through the water. Even though we were winning, he kept shouting directions at me—“Paddle harder! Don’t stop!”—his voice loud and sharp the whole time.

By the end of the race, I couldn’t take it anymore. As soon as we crossed the finish line, I bolted back to our room, tears stinging my eyes.

Tom came into the room right after me and sat down beside me on the bed.

“Hey,” he said softly. “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I didn’t mean it.”

I looked at him, still upset. “Why do you need the money so badly?” I asked.

Tom shifted, avoiding my eyes. “I really didn’t want to yell,” he repeated, dodging the question.

“Tom,” I said firmly, “why do you need the money?”

He let out a long sigh. “My dad has a lot of debt. When I was a kid, he wasn’t a good guy. He drank, he hit me, and then one day he just left me and my mom. Now he’s back. He says he’s changed, but he needs money to pay off everything.”

Hearing this, my heart ached for him. This wasn’t the confident Tom I’d known. This was a hurt little boy, hoping his dad had changed. “You know he’s probably using you, right?” I asked quietly, not wanting to hurt him more.

“Maybe,” Tom said, his voice low. “But I don’t want to regret not trying.”

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me back tightly, and I could hear his quiet sobs. We stayed like that, holding on to each other, not saying a word.

Tom

After that conversation, everything changed between Zoe and me. We spent more time together, laughing, talking, and just enjoying each other’s company.

I started to notice how much I liked being around her, how comfortable it felt. It wasn’t long before I realized I was falling for her. I thought she might feel the same way, but I couldn’t be sure. So, I kept my feelings to myself, not wanting to mess things up.

Then, on the day of the final, I got a call from the police. My dad had tried to rob a store and got into a fight. It hit me hard. I wanted to tell Zoe, but we were about to start filming. There wasn’t time.

We sat around the campfire, all the couples talking about why they came and what they hoped to gain. I noticed Zoe looked nervous. She kept fidgeting, her eyes darting around.

I reached over and took her hand, not fully knowing why. It just felt right. When it was our turn to speak, I jumped in, giving her a bit more time. I knew she needed it.

“Our story is pretty romantic,” I started, trying to sound confident. “We met at the airport.” The group around the campfire responded with a chorus of “Awww.”

“I never imagined how much this woman would change my life,” I continued, and for the first time all week, I wasn’t making anything up. “If it weren’t for Zoe…”

Suddenly, Zoe jumped to her feet. “I’m sorry, I can’t keep doing this!” she shouted. “Tom and I aren’t a couple! It’s all fake! We’re not together!”

Her words hung in the air, and before I could react, Zoe ran off into the night. I sat there, stunned, my mind spinning. All I wanted to do was chase after her.

Zoe

I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, not caring where I ended up. My heart pounded, not just from running but from the guilt and confusion swirling inside me.

I was so mad at myself. I had let Tom down, but I couldn’t keep pretending. The lies had become too much. When he started talking about how we met, every word felt like a stab.

It hurt because, somewhere along the way, I had fallen in love with him. That’s why I had to run—I couldn’t handle the truth of my own feelings any longer.

“Zoe! Wait!” Tom called, and in no time, he caught up to me.

I stopped, tears already blurring my vision. “I’m sorry, Tom. I know you need the money for your dad, but I just couldn’t lie anymore.”

Tom gently held my face in his hands. “Zoe, listen to me. I don’t care about the money or my dad. The police called earlier. He was arrested for robbery and assault. He hasn’t changed. But that’s not what matters. What matters is you. I’ve fallen in love with you, Zoe. I don’t know when it happened, but it did.”

I blinked, stunned. “You really mean that? So, everything you said by the fire…”

“It was all true,” Tom finished, his eyes locked on mine.

I reached for Tom’s hands, pulling him closer until there was no space between us. Without thinking, I kissed him. At first, he seemed a little shocked, but soon he kissed me back, and everything else faded away.

In that moment, nothing else mattered—not the lies, the competition, or the confusion we’d been through. We were happy, and all I wanted was to stay in that moment with him.